A molecular modeling task often needs a tool you do not use every day: perhaps an extension that adds a particular workflow or connects SAMSON to another capability. The difficult part is not always finding a tool. It is figuring out whether it fits your setup, whether you can try it before paying, and how to remove it when the project is over.
The SAMSON Connect Marketplace can help you answer those questions before changing your installation. A quick, deliberate check of an extension’s details and availability can save time—and make it easier to keep your working environment focused.
Check fit before adding
Open an extension’s Marketplace page and review its description, authors, supported operating systems, extension versions, and the SAMSON versions for which it is available. These details help you check compatibility with your computer and installation before you add the extension. If you are working across different machines, make the operating-system check part of your routine rather than assuming the same extension is available everywhere.
Also check how the extension is made available. Some extensions are included with your plan, some are free to add, and others require a subscription. The functionality available in SAMSON can depend on your plan; the Starter plan is free, though some functionality and the number of free extensions may be limited.
Try before you subscribe
If an extension offers a trial, the Marketplace provides a Request trial option. The documentation states that requesting a trial does not require credit card information. Once the trial is active, the extension is marked as Trying, so its status is visible in the Marketplace.
This gives you a straightforward way to evaluate an extension against your actual modeling task before deciding whether a monthly, yearly, or—if you have academic status—academic subscription is appropriate. Check the available plan options on the extension page before making a decision.
Add only what you need
For a freely available extension, sign in to SAMSON Connect and select Add. The page then marks it as Added. After you restart SAMSON, it downloads and installs the extension automatically.
That restart step matters when planning your work: adding an extension does not mean it will immediately appear in the current SAMSON session. If you are preparing for a deadline or a demonstration, check the extension status and allow time to restart before relying on it.
Keep your setup manageable
When a free extension is no longer useful, sign in to SAMSON Connect and find it through the Marketplace, or go to Account > Settings > View my extensions. Open its page, hover over the Added button until it changes to Remove, and select Remove.
For subscriptions, use Account > Settings > View my subscriptions to reach the subscription management page. The documentation notes that after SAMSON is restarted, an extension whose subscription has been removed will also be removed from the installation. A removed extension can still appear under your account’s extensions, making it possible to add it again later if you need it.
A useful habit is to review your extension list when a project ends: keep the tools you rely on, remove free extensions you no longer need, and check subscriptions separately. This makes it easier to understand what is available in your installation and what may involve an ongoing plan.
For more details on SAMSON Connect, extensions, downloads, and account settings, see the SAMSON Connect documentation.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.